


When The Sky Comes Falling

by Peaches_and_Lilies



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Human Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Kid Tony Stark, Pre-Iron Man 1, Pre-MCU, Stark Twins AU, Tony Stark Has a Twin, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 07:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30135768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peaches_and_Lilies/pseuds/Peaches_and_Lilies
Summary: “He’s upset because he doesn’t understand why he—who works so hard to gain a modicum of approval from your father, is so rarely acknowledged. While you dear girl, at every turn and step are praised and adored by sir unconditionally while not exerting effort at all.”A Stark Twins AU. A plot idea I had once upon a long long time ago.
Relationships: Tony Stark & Original Character(s), Tony Stark & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	When The Sky Comes Falling

**_“He hates me.”_ **

Edwin’s head snapped up in surprise, taking in the little miss who sat on the edge of her bed as he dressed her wounded knees.

“I assure you Miss Aurora, Master Anthony loves you very much.” He told her, trying his best to soothe both physical and emotional wounds as best as he could. “He did not mean to push you.”

“Yes he did. Because he _hates_ me.” Aurora’s voice hitched as her shoulders began heaving with sobs. “He loves me because I’m family and family is supposed to love you but he doesn’t _like_ me.”

It was a testament to how truly distraught she was that she hadn’t corrected him when he called her Miss Aurora, she would always get huffy and tell him to just call her Rory, but alas he could not. Using her and Master Anthony’s names so informally would cross a line he’d set the moment he first laid eyes on them. They weren’t his children after all, no matter how much his heart ached to claim them as his own.

So now Edwin could do nothing but listen to Miss Aurora as she cried, trying and failing to wipe the tears away. He knelt there in front of her, finally finished covering her wounds and waiting for her. Staying with her because it was the least he could do, because she shouldn’t be alone.

 _“Do not cross that line Edwin. Never cross it._ ” He repeated in his mind over and over as he fought the urge to carry her in his arms and comfort her as he did when she and her brother were infants and would wake in the wee hours of the morning, when Howard was away to an expedition in the arctic and Maria was in dire need of proper rest.

Once her sobs had quieted into sniffles he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and reached up to dry her cheeks and help blow her nose.

“Master Anthony,” he started getting up to sit beside her, watching as she leaned into his side automatically. “He does not hate you. He is merely upset, not at you but at the circumstance he finds himself in.”

The little miss looks up at him, tilting her head in silent question which he takes as his cue to go on.

“At the moment, all your brother sees is the attention your father showers you with. Attention which we both know he’s always wanted, even if he does not say so out loud.” She merely nods at him, and he will never stop wondering how she could be so perceptive for her age. Not but seven years old and he’s watched as she’s learned to take her cues from people’s actions and facial expressions. The slightest twitch of the corner of your lip would make her whole manner of interacting with you shift to a proper level. He’s seen it happen many times.

“He’s upset because he doesn’t understand why he—who works so hard to gain a modicum of approval from your father, is so rarely acknowledged. While you dear girl, at every turn and step are praised and adored by sir unconditionally while not exerting effort at all.”

“I don’t even _really_ like the attention.” He heard her mutter. “But I _have_ to keep it on me.”

Edwin’s brow furrowed in confusion at that statement. “What do you mean?”

Aurora bit at the inside of her cheek and looked up at him with such _sad — children should not have such sad—_ eyes and said “Swear to me you won’t tell Tony okay? You have to promise you won’t ever _ever_ tell him. Please J.”

His eyes darted towards the bedroom’s double doors, seeing a figure quickly hide from its position of leaning into the slight crack he’d left open earlier. He looked back down at the little miss who waited patiently for him to answer.

“I swear it on my life Miss Aurora,” he assented. “I will not tell Master Anthony whatever it is you will share to me.” _Because you will be telling him yourself, albeit unknowingly on your part._

He could not bring himself to feel guilt at his omission, because if he could get the twins to reach a point of understanding, if he could help fill the gap that had formed between them then he would do so gladly.

Aurora nodded before lowering her eyes, grabbing onto Edwin’s sleeve and picking at the slight fuzz on it. “Ho- Dad’s attention needs to be kept on me.” She said, scrunching her nose at her slight slip-up. “Because if it’s on me then it won’t be on Tony. If it isn’t on Tony then Dad won’t be able to get angry at him. He won’t have a chance to even be angry. He won’t _hurt_ him anymore. Tony will be _safe_ and it’s okay if—if he hates me forever as long as he’ll be safe from Dad.”

“Oh my dear girl.” Edwin breathed out, understanding dawning upon him. “Why do you not want Master Anthony to know? Surely he would not be so upset if you told him. He’d understand.”

“Stark men are made of iron.” Aurora recited monotonously, causing him to twitch although subtly enough that she didn’t notice. “I’ve heard Dad say that to Tony more times than I can count. He’s got it in his head that he doesn’t need to be protected, especially not by _me_ , his little sister even if we’re only 9 minutes apart. Tony is strong, but he thinks he’s weak because Dad tells him so. If he ever finds out what I’ve been doing he’ll only think that it’s confirming what our father told him. So he should never know.”

Jarvis stayed silent at that, smiling sadly down at the little girl he’d watched since she was an infant. Someone her age shouldn’t sound so mature, but he’d come to terms with the fact that the Stark twins would never be normal. He petted her hair, brushing it out of her eyes and felt his heart warm when she leaning into his palm.

“Tony is my brother.” She said, her little face hardening into one of great determination. “He’s my most precious person and you’re supposed to protect your precious people no matter what.”

Nothing more was said between the two of them until it was time for Edwin to leave to go help Master Anthony get ready for bed. He made no mention of the previous events when he entered the little sir’s room, and the boy said nothing of what he’d heard earlier.

But the next morning he couldn’t help but beam at the young sir when he saw Miss Aurora skipping merrily around the mansion, her precious Bucky bear in her arms— the same bear she’d mourned over when it had disappeared months ago, a day after Howard had taken her out to a show on Broadway, just the two of them (A bear which he was sure he’d seen sticking out from under the young sir’s mattress but had kept quiet because some squabbles should be solved between only the twins).

He watched as Master Anthony silently took a hold of his sister’s hand and tugged her over to the area where he’d been working on a toaster, gently helping her sit and making sure that she didn’t bump her scraped knees. It was a silent apology as any and the little miss understood that as she smiled at her brother and gave all her attention to him as he started to explain what he was doing.

It was not the first time Edwin Jarvis wished he could call the children his own, and it would definitely not be the last.


End file.
